


How to ask out a princess

by Winxhelina



Category: Cabin Pressure
Genre: Alternate Universe - Teenagers, Angst, Cabin Pressure Week, F/M, Minor Injuries, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-17
Updated: 2017-03-17
Packaged: 2018-10-06 20:18:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,409
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10343826
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Winxhelina/pseuds/Winxhelina
Summary: For Cabin Pressure week. This is rather long so I'm kind of cheating and hoping this will account both for the "AU" prompt and the "ship" one.Young Martin is hopelessly in love with his regal classmate Theresa. They share a love for aviation, but Martin fears that's all the love there will be between them.





	

Martin’s teen years were difficult for him. Not as difficult as his future pilot study years would be, but he didn’t really know as much back then. He had never been particularly handsome, but the passing summer had made things much worse. His face was covered in acne and while all of his classmates had seemingly grown another meter or so he had remained the same height as before, making him feel like a bit of a midget.

Of course Theresa was amongst these people who had grown a ridiculous amount over the summer. She was towering over Martin slightly in the heels she was wearing and Martin thought that her height made her both more Queen-like and more intimidating.

She seemed to notice this train of thought, because she frowned at Martin and repeated his name: “Is…everything okay? How was your summer?” 

Martin nodded, nervously. He had stupidly got himself to believe over the summer that this would be the year he’d finally ask her out. He and Theresa were great friends and she was also the only female friend Martin had. The secret of how Martin Crieff and caught the attention of a princess and held it was in their shared love of aviation. But of course, that wouldn’t mean she’s be interested in anything else.

“Yes? Was it bad? What’s wrong?”

“N-n-n-nothing. Um – should really start going to class!” 

She was annoyed with her, Martin could tell. Every now and then Martin was suddenly reminded of the fact that she was of royal blood, she was much richer, more beautiful and with a completely different future than he would have. When they were younger it hadn’t really been a problem, but somehow the older Martin got the harder the reality hit him. Theresa didn’t want it to hit him. She wanted to be treated like anyone else. Martin knew that, but couldn’t help it. One day, she would be the Queen and Martin would be a pilot and the two of them would have nothing more in common, besides the fact that they had once gone to the same school and shared an interest of aviation. There was really no point in even asking her out.

“You – You’ve – ehm – grown.”

“Is it that intimidating?” she teased, good humoured, but Martin knew he had made a mistake.

“No, no! Y-You’re beautiful!”

“Ah, so tall girls float your boat, eh?” she carried on her teasing, making Martin blush deeply:”N-no no…all heights are fine,” he was quiet, apologetic:”I was just saying, you’re beautiful,” he muttered to himself, quietly.

“Thank you,” Theresa said, quiet as well.

A few days passed and Martin still hadn’t done anything to ask Theresa out. He was beginning to believe it was never going to happen. Theresa was spending the recess doing her make-up. She wasn’t usually wearing this much make up, but she was going to a fancy dinner party today afterwards. She looked stunning and Martin couldn’t take her eyes off her. Theresa met his eyes and smiled warmly: ”Does it look okay?”

“It looks – um – stunning.”

Theresa had handed Martin her mirror to hold while she was putting her hair up for the class and Martin had caught sight of himself. He had nothing to match her beauty. He wasn’t hideous, not really, but he wasn’t handsome by anyone’s standards either.

“Are you caught in the beauty of your own eyes there?” she teased again.

Her comment only made Martin look sad: “Of course not…” he said and gave the mirror back, looking at his trousers.

“What’s wrong?” Theresa asked gently.

Martin shrugged, made a face: “I was just thinking… nothing.”

“You were thinking something.”

“About the way I look.”

“Breathtakingly beautiful?”

She was teasing again and it made Martin want to crawl under his desk: “Mildly below average. Awkward.”

“That’s not true,” Theresa was running her hands through his hair and it caused shivers run down his spine: “I think you look beautiful.” 

He had to look at her to make sure she wasn’t teasing him again. She didn’t seem to be. Martin looked around, there was no one else around them in the class and Theresa was looking at him, so beautiful: “Really?”

“Well...Good, because I was thinking if maybe you’d like to come and have a coffee with me. And – watch a movie?”

“Are you finally asking me out?”

Martin was a blushing, stuttering mess: ”W-well, I know you don’t – ,” he had been so sure that she would reject him that he had barely listened to the answer: “Wait – did you say – _finally?!”  
_

“Yes! I thought you’d never gather up the courage to do it. I’ve been waiting for it for ages now!” She leaned in and was about to kiss Martin when the poor boy woke up. He ran his hand through his ginger hair. He really needed to get a grip. He as never going to ask Theresa out, this much seemed clear. He either needed to get over her or finally gather up the courage and do it today. Now or never. He couldn’t keep postponing it.

 

He grabbed his phone and texted Theresa.  


_Hey. I have something I want to ask of you._

There was no reply.

_Something important.  
_ Martin stared at the screen for another 10 minutes, but no reply came.

_I hope you won’t be angry with me._

This time a reply came.

_Okay. I’m intrigued. What’s so important that you had to text me at 4:46 in the morning?_

Martin hadn’t noticed the time at all.

_Oh I’m sorry! Were you asleep?_

_You mean you weren’t?_

_I was, but then I had a dream and I woke up._

_Please tell me we aren’t texting to talk about your dream. Text Arthur. He’s somehow always glad no matter what time it is._

Martin felt humiliated. He hadn’t even begun yet and he was already mucking this up.

_I’m really sorry, Theresa._

_It’s okay. Did you dream about being a pilot again? :D_

_No. Something that’s far less likely._

_Tell me about it in the morning at school. I’m going back to sleep now. Good night._

_Good night, Theresa._

Martin hid his face into the pillow and practically wept. This was never going to work. A special girl like Theresa was never going to date someone like him. She was royalty for God’s sake. She was going to marry someone rich and wealthy.

 

Martin sighed and texted Arthur instead. Maybe he would know what to do about this. He always seemed to have such bright outlook on life. It cheered him up.

_I had a dream that I was going to ask Theresa out._

_That’s brilliant!_ A reply came instantly.

_You weren’t asleep?_

_Oh no, Dad has been having some of his friends over and there’s been a lot of singing and listening to loud music. It’s all great, but rather not all that good for sleeping._

That sobered Martin up a bit. There was Arthur, with some very real problems he was having and he was so positive about the world around him while Martin was pining over a princess not dating her.

_Did you go back to sleep?_ Arthur asked.

_No. I’m sorry you didn’t get any sleep._

_Oh it’s okay. They’re getting a divorce and he is moving out next month anyways so it’s sort of like a farewell party! Not that I never get to see him again, but still._

_Oh, God, Right. I’m sorry Arthur. I completely forgot and here I am pining over my stupid princess dream._

_Why is it stupid? I thought it sounded rather brilliant._

_It is brilliant, but I’m never going to do it._

_Why not? I thought you wanted to. I thought you liked Theresa._

_I do, but she’s a princess! She would never date someone like me. The only reason we became friends in the first place was because we both liked planes._

_So why can’t you date for the same reason?_

_She’d have to like me for us to date._

_Okay – how are you going to find out if she likes you without asking her? I think she does by the way._

Martin wondered if he could have Arthur look into it, find out if Theresa liked him or not, but with Arthur being Arthur he would probably be about as subtle as a ton of bricks.

_You have a point. I’ll ask her today._

When Theresa asked Martin what his dream had been about Martin had blushed, looked away and claimed he didn’t remember.

She laughed: “It’s something about flying, isn’t it?” she teased, but Martin didn’t ask.

“Hey, Theresa, what are you doing this weekend?”  
“Well… I have King Carl Gustaf’s birthday to attend to. Then there’s the gallery opening that I for some unknown reason have to be at and I need to find some time to do my homework. Why? Did you want to hang out together?”

“No, no, no, no it’s fine,” Martin said quickly. She was so busy. He couldn’t bother her.

“You could come to the gallery opening with me. It’s some modern art thing,” Martin already knew he’d have nothing to wear to that and there would be a bunch of posh people there he would feel uncomfortable around with: “No, it’s ehh…fine.”

“I guess it is rather boring,” she agreed a little disappointed.

“No, no not at all! I’ll come if you’d like to!”

“It’s fine, Martin. You don’t have to bother. I’m sure you’d like to do something far more…normal,” she didn’t even sound angry, just sad and it broke Martin’s heart. Why hadn’t he just said he wanted to come? It would have almost been a date. Even if he hadn’t asked.

 

There was a Christmas ball held at school this December. Bringing a date wasn’t mandatory, but a lot of people were using it as an excuse to invite someone they liked. Arthur was just happy there would be a Christmas party, but all Martin could think about was asking her best girl friend and finally try to get rid of the annoying space between those words. Would Theresa even want to come through? Certainly she had been to rather a lot of balls that were a lot more like real balls than whatever fiasco they were holding here.

Martin was sitting on the bench in PE class with Theresa. He had twisted his ankle quite badly just some twenty minutes ago and he and Theresa had just returned from the nurse’s office. She was still recovering from some awful illness she had had last week. Martin thought his own mother would have probably made him stayed home had he still had an awful cough like Theresa’s, but her parents were of the stricter kind and had sent her back to school. She was currently coughing into her ridiculously fancy embroider napkin and Martin thought she was beautiful even as she was then.

She noticed him stare and offered a bit of an awkward smile, making Martin to look down on his twisted ankle.

“Does it hurt?” she asked compassionately, her voice still rough from her recent coughing fit.

Martin shrugged: “It’s fine.”

“Your Highness,” Someone was addressing Theresa. It was Douglas, a boy couple of years ahead of him. Martin’s class was about to end and they were going to come in next. Still, he was here early for a boy who apparently didn’t think that much of sports, yet was unfairly good-looking. Great hair, good posture, loads of confidence to face the world. Everything Martin wanted.

“Yes, Mr. Richardson?” Theresa replied with the sort of slight teasing tone she so often used with Martin.

“I was wondering if you already have a date for the ball?” Martin wanted to glare at Douglas. He suspected he probably did a bit. She was _her girlfriend._ Well, she wasn’t but he was going to ask her out. Eventually. Or never. Martin sighed, eternally. Theresa would probably end up going with Douglas, the boy had everything Martin wanted, it was only natural he’d get his girl too. Douglas didn’t even probably take Theresa, because he liked her. He wanted to show off the fact that he was the boy in school who had the courage to ask out _a princess._ Could probably pull it off too. Bastard.

“I have someone picked out, yes,” Theresa replied. This answer surprised Martin a bit and for a moment it made him happy, before he realized that it made no difference. Theresa would only be going with someone other than Douglas. He still wouldn’t be going with her.

“Ah. Too bad. Well, have a nice day then, Your Majesty.” Douglas could even take rejection well. Theresa seemed to appreciate that too, if her smile was anything to go by. Martin would have cried. He almost felt like crying now.

“So, who are you going with?” he asked when Douglas had left.

“Oh. Actually, they haven’t asked me yet. I’m just hoping they will.”

Martin felt a little heavier at that. Theresa hadn’t even told him she had someone she fancied, maybe they weren’t as good of a friends as he had thought.

“Maybe they don’t know you’re waiting for them to ask.”

“Think I should ask them then?”

Martin hadn’t meant to suggest anything. He was still too thorn up about the fact that he had missed his chance: “Sure. I’m sure he’d say yes.”

She took a deep breath as if preparing herself: “Martin?”

He looked at her: “Yes?”

“Will you be my date at this ball?”

Martin needed a moment to properly wrapped his mind around it:”You were… waiting for me to ask you?”

“Yes! Of course!”

Martin relaxed and smiled brightly: “Well, I was going to, I’ve been meaning to, but…”

“So you’ll come with me?” “Yes!”

She smiled back. The class had ended. They really needed to go, but Martin wanted to take a moment to enjoy this miracle. Theresa was shifting closer to him, wrapping her arm around him, making Martin jump a bit.

“How’s your ankle?”

“Oh it’s fine, you don’t have to…”

“Just a little. For better support,” she winked. It was fine by Martin. More than fine. She was so warm next to him. Probably a little much so. Must have still been feverish. Martin had never felt better through. He was taking an actual princess to a ball!


End file.
